home

Can We Learn from Japanese Culture?

by Last Night in Little Rock

Twenty years ago last month, a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 crashed into a mountain and killed 520. Because of Japanese culture, without waiting for determining who was at fault, the President of Japan Airlines immediately made a point to personally visit with the survivors of all passengers that he could find and personally apologize. I remember the video of the man bowing to the person receiving him. Aside from disaster, the Japanese also apologize for inconveniencing someone else.

In times of great personal disgrace, Japanese culture also recognized "the fine art of seppuku," the ultimate in acceptance of personal responsibility.

We used to hear our government officials talk of that concept. Now, of course, they have spun it around to the "personal responsibility" of those who lacked the wherewithal to escape New Orleans instead of their own responsibility. Spin for the sake of saving face. No matter that they swept up with the poor the nursing home and hospital patients who had no ability to escape who died in their beds.

In American culture, a simple resignation for the good of the country or the President would be enough. But that requires class, style, a conscience, and a desire to do the right thing; something these people all lack.

We have a lot to learn from Japanese culture.

< NY Times: "Macabre Reminder: The Corpse on Union Street" | Saddam Hussein Update >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:28 PM EST
    Instead, we have a political culture of "The Buck stops anywhere but here".

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#2)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST
    Wouldn't it be great if Chertoff gave a press conference made up like the King Lear character in Ran and disemboweled himself, and then Condi chopped his head off and stabbed herself to death with one of those stilletos she bought on Wednesday?

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST
    Adept Havelock: The buck doesn't even slow down to catch its breath when it arrives at Bush's desk.

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#4)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST
    i wouldn't get too carried away with my admiration for japanese culture. last time i checked, they'd yet to apologize for the rape of nanking, or even admit to committing any wrong during wwII. they, like most cultures, do what they deem to be in their own self interests. if that requires eating a little crow in public, to keep the cash flowing, then so be it. japanese corps practice the modern version of the bushido, or the "code of the samuri". in return for the big buck salaries, japanese ceo's recognize that, if something goes bad, they will be expected to commit "sepiku", for public consumption. they then get a huge severance package as a reward for "restoring the honor" of the company. everyone wins. except, of course, for the dead and injured. i'd suggest you find a better role model to emulate.

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:31 PM EST
    et al - Having worked for two major Japanese companies I can promise you this. Nothing is done until they have consensus. This slows down the process to an absolute crawl - and kills them in some business areas - but does provide focus. There would have been a local, state, region and national plan. And everyone would have followed it without fail. So there would be no need for apologies.

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:34 PM EST
    Posted by cpinva: "i wouldn't get too carried away with my admiration for japanese culture. last time i checked, they'd yet to apologize for the rape of nanking, or even admit to committing any wrong during wwII." You confuse Japanese culture for the actions of the Japanese GOVERNMENT. It would be as reasonable to blame Americans for Bush's war crimes, or for his negligence in the destruction of New Orleans. There are a great many racists in Japan. Their system of apology operates along strange lines, and while the outward form is graceful, the actual reality is grotesque, as it is in EVERY business society with criminals and mafias (like the Bush Mafia in America). But that is a problem for Japanese society, not its fault. Just so, Bush's actions are NOT IN MY NAME. I fight, and work, and struggle for justice, just about every day, because I love America, and was raised to fight for our REAL values. I also love Japan, to a lesser degree, while not forgetting the racism and genocide of their militaristic rightwing, which at least FOUGHT the battles they promoted.

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:34 PM EST
    Jim, Japan didn't put the dishonored, unqualified, utterly inappropriate Brown in charge of FEMA. Neither did Louisiana, or New Orleans. Bush did that. And he is guilty of the results.

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    PIL - You need to check out who confirmed him... A Demo controlled Senate. ;-)

    Re: Can We Learn from Japanese Culture? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:17 PM EST
    Hi, Really interesting, since I abanconed Japan for Canada and then Philippines. Without discussing the difference of basis between USA and Japan, it should be no gain. Even English used by residents were different from place to place (even in Canada) because of the difference between their backgrounds. In my opinion, Japanese used to have responsibiliyies but not now, since they have highly developed "Everyone's respontibility is no one's responsibirity" society. Why the president could behave in person is perhaps because he shouldn't have had disadvantages by that in his career or life. Whereas in the States used to have accountabilities, I think. However, after "marrying" Japan, they also developed "Everyone's respontibility is no one's responsibirity," anonymously or like an army personnels to achieve economic goals. About the hurricanes I must sympathize with the victims; however, those things happen. Japanese people are forgatting the truth, too, for getting accustomed to highly artificial life. In the Hanshin Great Earthquick, the same miss-leading by the government occured. See my web-site for further understanding of Japan.